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Author Topic: Boil kettle as mash tun?  (Read 2107 times)

Offline Kenpropst

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Boil kettle as mash tun?
« on: March 15, 2021, 09:22:45 am »
Looking for some input as to is it better to use your boil kettle as a mash tun or is it just easier to use a Seperate mash tun

Offline Descardeci

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Re: Boil kettle as mash tun?
« Reply #1 on: March 15, 2021, 09:25:42 am »
Looking for some input as to is it better to use your boil kettle as a mash tun or is it just easier to use a Seperate mash tun

I do this with a inox steel basket, super easy, but I lost a little of wort clarity but most of my beer come out crystal clear when use the proper yeast, give the proper time and use clarification agent

Offline erockrph

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Re: Boil kettle as mash tun?
« Reply #2 on: March 15, 2021, 09:38:51 am »
That's pretty much like how the all-in-ones like the Anvil Foundry and Grainfather work, and that's how Brew in a Bag works as well. There are pros and cons to everything, but if you want to just have one brewing vessel,  then it is certainly an option to mash in your kettle.

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Offline Kenpropst

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Re: Boil kettle as mash tun?
« Reply #3 on: March 15, 2021, 02:29:20 pm »
Ok so I assume that if I do mash in the boil kettle I would need a bag otherwise it would be a lot of cleanup before the boil

Offline Drewch

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Re: Boil kettle as mash tun?
« Reply #4 on: March 15, 2021, 02:49:46 pm »
I use my boil kettle as my mash tun for single-vessel BIAB.  It works fine.  Somethings to consider are:

a) You can get grain bags cheap on Amazon, but don't go too cheap because nothing gets your attention like 20 pounds of wet grain splashing back down into 150F water sticky, sugary wort because the drawstring on your bag broke.

b) If you're doing 5+ gallon batches, you will want a hoist or some other assistance in lifting the grain bag and holding as it drains.  I have a 150-lb-rated ratcheting pully that I use for big batches.  Other people use a strainer the same diameter as the kettle.  Whatever works for your setup.  If you're doing small batches (my standard is 4L), you can skip this requirement.

c) While not absolutely necessary, waterproof insulated gloves make handling a heavy bag of piping hot, wet grains much easier.  And you can give them a good squeeze to get more of the wort out and reduce your losses to grain absorption.

d) Batches above 5 gallons have enough mass not to lose too much temperature over the course of the mash if your ambient temperature is fairly mild, but you may want to insulate your kettle with something non-flammable if you're worried about holding a precisely consistent mash temp.  Small batches need insulation more because higher surface-area-to-volume ratio, small mass, etc.

e) If you're going this route, crush your grain finer than you would if you were going to sparge/lauter.  It will help with your mash efficiency.
« Last Edit: March 15, 2021, 02:52:50 pm by Drewch »
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Offline Descardeci

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Re: Boil kettle as mash tun?
« Reply #5 on: March 16, 2021, 06:49:27 am »
I use my boil kettle as my mash tun for single-vessel BIAB.  It works fine.  Somethings to consider are:

a) You can get grain bags cheap on Amazon, but don't go too cheap because nothing gets your attention like 20 pounds of wet grain splashing back down into 150F water sticky, sugary wort because the drawstring on your bag broke.

b) If you're doing 5+ gallon batches, you will want a hoist or some other assistance in lifting the grain bag and holding as it drains.  I have a 150-lb-rated ratcheting pully that I use for big batches.  Other people use a strainer the same diameter as the kettle.  Whatever works for your setup.  If you're doing small batches (my standard is 4L), you can skip this requirement.

c) While not absolutely necessary, waterproof insulated gloves make handling a heavy bag of piping hot, wet grains much easier.  And you can give them a good squeeze to get more of the wort out and reduce your losses to grain absorption.

d) Batches above 5 gallons have enough mass not to lose too much temperature over the course of the mash if your ambient temperature is fairly mild, but you may want to insulate your kettle with something non-flammable if you're worried about holding a precisely consistent mash temp.  Small batches need insulation more because higher surface-area-to-volume ratio, small mass, etc.

e) If you're going this route, crush your grain finer than you would if you were going to sparge/lauter.  It will help with your mash efficiency.

This! Follow this if you want a single vessel, but the only thing is to get a steel basket and not a grain bag, super easy to use, a little work to clean but worth